My 3 favorite rock bassists:
Jack Bruce (incomparable)
Bruce Thomas (ex Attractions)
Jack Cassady (Hot Tuna)
Graham Maby (ex Joe Jackson) |
+1 on billy sheehan. heck of a nice guy as well. |
Let me add someone I know, who is an extremely musical bass player- Rob Stoner. |
Jack Bruce. Period. His bass playing on the live track "Spoonful" from Cream's "Wheels of Fire" album recorded in early 1968 in San Francisco is the very best bass performance ever from a rock band in the 20th Century. Can't touch it. A monumental masterpiece. A damn good runner up is John Entwistle's bass playing with the WHO on the "Live at Leeds" album from 1970. |
Um, Geddy Lee.
Yes, Flea and Levin and Claypool might be more technically articulate, but Geddy out=performs them in terms of musicality, composition, and voicing. Whether you enjoy Rush or not, his elevation of his instrument in his genre is comparable to only giants like Entwistle. |
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Oops! I had this thread confused with the current best rock guitarist thread that I didn't answer.
Ok, if he did play bass, he'd be the best. |
PBS running a Tony Levin performance right now....WOW. |
Iso,
When did Danny play bass? I know he played a double neck with a bass side, but I don't think I've ever heard him play a straight up bass. If there's a record you could point me to, I'd love to check it out.
Staying on this subject, if people wanna go the "virtuoso guitarist when he was briefly a bassist" route (see Jimi, above), I guess someone's gotta give Jimmy Page a shout-out for his days in the Yardbirds, too.
Marty |
Danny Gatton. Period! I guess this thread is over now. |
Wc65mustang-I was waiting for the correct answer! Gary Thain and Greg Ridley deserve recognition. |
Everyone I would nominate has already been mentioned, except for Jimi Hendrix. |
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Billy Sheehan.
Everybody else is second place. |
Graham Maby(Joe Jackson Band),Anthony Jackson(Steely Dan, Al Dimeola) John McVie(Fleetwood Mac} |
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Taking the liberty of expanding the rock genre to soul and funk would encompass James Jamerson and Larry Graham, whom I would guess influenced the majority of the great players mentioned above. |
And Donald 'Duck' Dunn......of Booker T & MGs as well as the original Blues Bros? |
Yep Ghosthouse, Felix Pappalardi...super!
Cheers! |
Max - ah a kindred spirit...playing Mountain from various You Tube as I write.
I know of Jaco but not really familiar with his work (I do have Hejira).
Will have to check our Saunders & Hook. Thanks. |
Ghosthouse- Felix is a fantastic addition. Might have to dust off some Mountain this evening. |
Some great talent here. A couple of more off the run suggestions:
Jaco Pastorious- his contributions to Joni Mitchell's catalogue are great. I especially like 'Hejira'
Fernando Saunders- adds to some of Lou Reed' best works. I like Live in Italy.
Peter Hook from New Order helped create their sound.
These players use the bass to "sing' as a lead instrument more than just provide an underpinning for the other instruments. |
Add Felix Pappalardi to the list of greats. |
Lot's of very good bass players listed. I especially like Chris Squire and Greg Lake. BUT for me, there's only one "best": Jack Bruce. |
Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna)
McCartney
Jack Bruce
Carol Kaye (60's sessions player on many well-known songs)
James Jamerson (Motown sessions player)
Jim Fielder (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
Entwistle
Sting |
David Pegg, Chris Squire and Jon Camp all approach the bass as a lead instrument, Squire in particular. Pegg plays lead and carries the melody as well. His 43 year career in Fairport Convention (not to exclude his 16 years in Jethro Tull) as well as session appearances is a remarkable body of work. |
Don't forget Paul Mcartney. |
Stanley Clarke. Jack Bruce. Flea. And can I add Esperanza Spalding? |
Paul McCartney
Allen Woody
Chuck Rainey |
Geddy Lee
Tal Wilkenfeld (she's amazing) |
John McVie
The bass figure that kicks off the breakdown in The Chain is my defining bass moment in rock n roll.
Marty |
I have been listening to Geezer Butler on the latest Black Sabbath and have to say his tone and style are killer (in a good way!) I agree about Entwistle, Squire but also Greg Lake, John Myun, Mike Rutherford, Percy Jones, John Wetton, Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Dee Murray and of course, let's not forget the great John Paul Jones. |
Les Claypool (Primus, Fearless Flying Frog Brigade), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel and others), Tal Wilkenfeld (Jeff Beck), and Alphonso Johnson.
-RW- |
Phil Lesh (on a good day), though his idiosyncratic style really is different from the "classic" Rock Bass player. |
